Mars conjuncts Uranus in the sky every two years and is exact this Wednesday, April 15, at 24° 27’ Pisces.
Four pirates attacked the U.S. cargo ship Maersk Alabama on April 8, the day before the Full Moon. Captain Richard Phillips offered himself as hostage so his crew would be released unharmed.
On Friday night President Obama authorized the use of force against the pirates if the danger to the captain escalated. On Friday, transiting Mars was at 21° Pisces opposite Obama’s natal Mars at 22° Virgo and square the U.S. Sibly Mars at 22° Gemini. As we all know, Navy Seal snipers killed three pirates and Capt. Richard Phillips was released unharmed. This is a successful Mars on display: the Navy Seals are rightly being praised for their sharp shooting skill and Capt. Phillips for his heroism and bravery in offering himself as a hostage so his crew would be freed. (1)
Of course, there are many sides to any story and, as one blogging headline noted (i.e.,“Doesn’t End Well for the Pirates”), the situation is more complex than the immediate and daring tale of rescue at sea might suggest. (2)
A news report this morning said that “the rescue ending in the pirates’ deaths could ramp up hostilities in the growing wave of pirate attacks off the coast of Somalia, in which crews and pirates have seldom been harmed.” Vice Admiral Bill Gortney, head of the U.S. Navy’s Bahrain-based Fifth Fleet, said to reporters: “This could escalate violence in this part of the world, no question about it.” (3) The applying conjunction of Mars and Uranus suggests that this might be quite true.
On a personal note, I wonder where the parallels are: where are our own daring rescues-at-sea? How do we use this week’s planetary alignment? It’s not a frequent conjunction – the last was on April 28, 2007 at 17° Pisces, and we don’t see it again until April 3, 2011 at 1° Aries, which suggests an uncommon moment in time.
Mars with Uranus, of course, has lots of implications: we can fight for freedom and human rights or exaggerate selfish aims. The combination can heat up detachment, inspire quick response, be sudden, surprising, and aggressive, or brilliant, intuitive, and strategic. (Jeff Jawer describes the pair as “raging forces” in his column in this month’s TMA.)
Conditions in the natal chart and levels of manifestation are always a primary consideration, of course, but in keeping with the current motif of courage on the high seas, I would say that the house that holds 24° Pisces in your horoscope is begging to be refreshed and exposed. The conjunction suggests that the contents of the particular astrological house in question are ready to be out in the open and have a grand new cycle in life.
One best possible road for Mars and Uranus is to be an impeccable warrior for truth in the houses’ concerns. Trust the passion for freedom and the inclination towards upsetting your comfort zone, and tell the truth to yourself at all costs.
Press yourself onward and upwards. There may be nothing to lose. Pisces, after all, can relinquish a point of view and fixed reference point with ease and grace.
Imagine for a moment that the coast is clear for you to head in any direction forward in your life. Where are you excited about going, what brings aliveness to your day? What actions inspire your most courageous heart? Harness that quality, because these two great planetary beings don’t come back to such intimate contact for two more years.
(Come to think of it, the conjunction is exact on April 15. Tax revolt, anyone?)
Notes:
1 Comment
Mary,
Thanks for a great column – I learn so much from it. – RR
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